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France: Onwards or Far Right?
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Emmanuel Macron will face off against Marine Le Pen in final round of voting on May 7
By Shailaja Paramathma
With the projections of the French presidential elections 2017 now out, France shows a preference for the centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron at 23.7 percent on the one hand and on the other for extreme right-wing party candidate Marine Le Pen at 21.7 percent. The danger of this once social democratic country leaning far right for good is now as real as it is not. So in a way even though the first round of elections are over, we are nowhere over the hump with the suspense.
The second and final round of elections will be in two weeks time on May 7, where these top two candidates will vie for the presidency of France. It is often said that the French vote with their hearts in the first round of elections, pushing their preferred candidate to advance to the second round. And in the second round they vote with their heads, coldly calculating to ensure that the candidate they dislike the most loses.
Former banker, Macron is only 39 years old and a relative newbie on the French political scene. Macron resigned from current president Francois Hollande’s government in 2016 and formed his own party En Marche (Onwards!). At that time, it had seemed like a rather ambitious plan but in just 18 months, he has managed to garner 200,000 singed-up members, which has made the possibility of him sitting in the hot seat quite real. In his manifesto he vows to cut taxes and spending but also provide support for those on low incomes. This ex-economy minister promises to bring down unemployment and give businesses greater leeway to design their own schedules. He is pro-globalisation and is in favour of France remaining in the European Union.
Accompanied by his wife, Macron casts his ballot
He differs on all of this with his contender Le Pen from the Front National but most of all the two are placed diametrically opposite from each other on immigration—Macron does not just support immigration but also intends to intervene in Syria if elected, whereas Le Pen has promised to be extremely hard on immigration and wishes to give back France to the French, as it were.
Daughter of Jean-Marie Le Pen who led the Front National for four decades, it is only under Marine’s leadership that the party has for the first time come as close as she has to the presidential palace. Even though the junior Le Pen expelled daddy dearest from the party in 2015, she seems to have retained her father’s vitriol for immigrants, especially Muslims. A chest-beating nationalist, she has plans to hold a referendum on “Frexit”, if elected.
The final television debate between the two candidates will take place on May 3. It will be a highly watched program and decisive in more ways than one for those still sitting on the fence.
Irrespective of which way the voters lead their nation, the truth of the matter is that the tussle between the far right and the rest is at present very real in France. The two parties, with their agendas and promises, are very unlike each other. So, in that sense no matter which candidate wins, there will be an equal number of the French population who will be dissatisfied and opposed to what the winning party will do during its tenure.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
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Hardeep Nijjar killing row: Canada’s defence minister says ties with India important
The Defence Minister further mentioned that if the allegations are proven true, there is a very significant concern that Canada will have with respect to the violation of our sovereignty.
Canada’s defence minister Bill Blair said that his country’s ties with India are important. HIs statement amidst a diplomatic standoff between both the countries. However, he also added that his country wants a thorough investigation into the allegation.
The escalating tensions between both the countries began after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asserted that his country’s security agencies were investigating a link between the Indian government and the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Defence Minister Bill Blair noted that they understand this can be, and has proven to be, a challenging issue with respect to their relationship with India. However, at the same time, they have the responsibility to make sure that they carry out a thorough investigation and get to the truth, he added.
The Defence Minister further mentioned that if the allegations are proven true, there is a very significant concern that Canada will have with respect to the violation of our sovereignty. On the other hand, India rejected the allegation as absurd and motivated.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs remarked that Canada has shared no specific information regarding its charges, flagging politically condoned hate crimes and criminal violence in that country. Furthermore, the foreign ministry has advised its nationals in Canada and those contemplating travelling there to exercise utmost caution.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also claimed that such credible allegations were shared with India weeks ago. He added that they want to work constructively with India and hope that New Delhi engages with them so that they can get to the bottom of this very serious matter.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said that Washington is deeply concerned about the allegations and that they want to see accountability in the case.
Khalistani terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Canada’s British Columbia in June. He was chief of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force and reportedly one of India’s most wanted terrorists.
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National Daughters Day 2023: History, significance, theme and wishes
The purpose of National Daughter’s Day is to serve as a reminder that girls should be given equal chances, including access to education, practical life skills, and sports participation, among others.
In India, Daughter’s Day is observed on the final Sunday in September, which falls on September 24, 2023. India is the only big nation with a higher mortality rate for females than boys, according to UNICEF.
At birth, there are 900 females for every 1000 boys in the nation. In the world, boys are 7% more likely than girls to die before the age of five. In India, though, the figures are dismal, with 11% more girls dying before turning five.
Given these troubling numbers, it is crucial to invest in the wellbeing of girls in order to empower them. The purpose of National Daughter’s Day is to serve as a reminder that girls should be given equal chances, including access to education, practical life skills, and sports participation, among others.
The first National Daughters Day was observed in India in 2007, which is where the holiday’s origins can be found. Daughters have frequently been overlooked in a society where males have long been regarded with awe. The noble goal of this day is to inspire parents to show their admiration for their daughters.
In certain cultures, having daughters has been seen as more of a burden than a blessing. With the goal of reversing this perception, National Daughter’s Day exhorts parents to acknowledge the extraordinary gift that their daughters are.
The significance of National Daughters Day can be found in our ever-changing society. It’s a day set aside to gleefully acknowledge the daughters in our lives. Falling on a Sunday presents a chance for parents and daughters to spend quality time together, cherish one another, and have intimate life-related dialogues. It’s a day for giving, caring, and fostering the cherished relationship between mothers and daughters.
Wishes
- Daughters are special and highly valued, which demonstrates that they were sent from heaven above
- Daughters are special; once we have them, we can never live without them. Happy Daughters’ Day!
- Daughters are the pride of their parents’ hearts; from birth, they are beautiful
- My darling daughter, my baby you will always be, no matter where you are. You are a little part of me, whether near or far. Happy Daughters’ Day!
- Daughters will soon be married and grown, then they may start a family of their own
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Canadian PM Trudeau wants to work constructively with India, says Canada shared credible allegations with New Delhi weeks ago
India has repeatedly denied claims of receiving any intel regarding the allegations from Canada before Justin Trudeau’s announcement on Monday revealing them.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday asserted that Canada shared credible allegations that the Indian government may have been involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar weeks ago, according to reports.
The Canadian Prime MInister added that his country wants to work constructively with India and hope that New Delhi engages with them so that they can get to the bottom of this very serious matter. Meanwhile, India has repeatedly denied claims of receiving any intel regarding the allegations from Canada before Justin Trudeau’s announcement on Monday revealing them.
On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that there was a potential link between an Indian government agent and the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the chief of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force, who was gunned down in Surrey in June. Justin Trudeau made the allegations in the Canadian Parliament.
India has debunked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement deeming the allegations of the Government of India’s involvement in any act of violence in Canada as both absurd and motivated. Issuing a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that they have seen and rejected the statement made by the Canadian Prime Minister in their Parliament. It added that they also rejected the statement made by their Foreign Minister.
After the allegations by PM Trudeau, the Canadian government expelled a top Indian diplomat. In a tit for tat move, New Delhi also expelled a Canadian diplomat. The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi also claimed that the Indian High Commission and consulates are facing security threats in Canada and therefore cannot process visa applications temporarily.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was among India’s most-wanted terrorists, carrying a reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head. He was fatally gunned down by two unidentified assailants outside a gurdwara in Surrey, a province of British Columbia in Canada, on June 18, according to reports.
